First Look: Odd Society Spirits

The craft beer explosion in Vancouver has barely exploded and is still going strong, and now the spirited side of things is starting to heat up. Hard on the heels of Long Table Distillery et al., we have Odd Society Spirits opening up to much aplomb in the heart of East Van .

This small-batch distillery concentrates on handcrafting New World ingredients using Old World traditions into unique, inventive, and sometimes “odd” spirits. Founder and distiller Gordon Glanz received his M.Sc. in the art and science of distillation from Heriot Wat University in Edinburgh. While there, he met fellow student Josh Beach. Together with Glanz’s wife, Miriam Karp, the three launched Odd Society with their East Van Vodka, a tribute to their neighbourhood and its distilling history.

Made from malted barley grown in Prince George and malted in Armstrong, the vodka is twice-distilled in a small-batch copper pot before being charcoal-filtered and blended with purified Vancouver tap water. The stills are Holsteins from Germany, modified to allow for single distillation. It’s a quirky quaff, not completely neutral, with a light, sweet fragrance that masks the smooth bite of the finish. No neutral grain spirits are used and everything is distilled and fermented on-site. Odd Society is also B.C.’s only kosher-certified distillery—meaning Pesach will never be the same again.

The distillery is also home to an airy and bright tasting lounge, where the vodka is served up, along with seasonal offerings like the Crème de Cassis and soon-to-arrive Wallflower Gin and Mongrel white lightning (yup, we’re talkin’ moonshine, folks). The lounge is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 4pm, and tastings and tours are complimentary.

Casks of Single Malt are also on the horizon, with pre-ordering already available, and cask filling commencing in February. After aging for three years, it will be bottled and delivered, so if you’re willing to wait…

In the meantime, let’s hoist a glass and salute the newest and brightest addition to East Van.

1725 Powell St. | 604.559.6745 | www.oddsocietyspirits.com